ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pit — a hole
  4. face — part of the head
  5. board — a committee
  6. pit — in a race
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — to go on
  10. face — to confront
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. board — to get on
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — finally
  22. deal — to handle
  23. last — final
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com